Children often say they don’t like school, but you might not ever hear your children make that statement if you homeschool.  Homeschooling has many benefits over sending your child to public school.  Besides being able to attend school in your pajamas, your child will have much more freedom to learn than their public school counterparts will have.

One of the things that can make homeschooling fun for children is the ability to take multiple field trips throughout the year. Whereas most public school students are lucky to take one field trip a year, if they even get to take that, homeschool students have the freedom to go on as many as their parent or support group can plan. 

Field trip possibilities are endless, limited only to by the imagination of the planner, and funds you’re willing to see leave your wallet.  Some common field trips are museums, zoos, and botanical gardens.  Did you know you can also make a field trip out of a trip to a Krispy Kreme Donut store?  Yep, you sure can.  You can also visit police departments, fire departments, and local newspapers.  In fact, if you can find someone willing to allow it, you can make a field trip out of almost any business you can think of.

Besides taking several field trips a year, another thing that makes homeschooling fun for kids is the ability to learn what interests them and in a way that suits their learning style.  While they will still have to learn the basics of reading, writing, and mathematics, they may choose to concentrate on robots, dinosaurs, or some composer or artist.  And one of the benefits of homeschooling is that you can combine coursework into Unit Studies that enable the student to cover the basics all whilHow To Make Homeschooling Fun for Kidse concentrating on that one subject.

It seems that art and music are all but missing from public schools as educational budgets are slashed each year.  If you homeschool, and your child likes either art or music, you can spend as much time on those subjects as you’d like.  In fact, you can combine art and music appreciation with many other subjects.  Allow your child to try something they’ve never done before.  You have that option if you homeschool, and you don’t have to get permission from the principal to do so.

Many children learn best by handling items, whether math manipulatives, building blocks, or cooking utensils.  If you homeschool, you can allow your child to use those manipulatives if doing so will help them to learn.  In public schools, children’s learning styles often aren’t taken into consideration since teachers have to teach to a whole group and can’t address students individually.  By allowing your child to learn in the way that is easiest for them, homeschooling will be much more fun for them.

While it’s unlikely that your homeschooled children will say they “love” school, there are things that you can do to help them enjoy it more.  By allowing them to learn to their strengths, concentrating on subjects that interest them, and taking them on field trips, your child will enjoy going to “school” much better.

Everyone who decides to homeschool their children will run into at least one person, maybe more, that tell them they shouldn’t homeschool.  The decision to homeschool, isn’t an easy one to make, and often isn’t popular.  However, the choice in how your child is educated is entirely up to you, so you need to decide ahead of time how you will deal with homeschooling negativity.

One of the arguments of a homeschooling is that you’re not qualified to teach your own child, regardless if you have a Bachelor of Arts in Education or not.  To this argument, I say kiss-off!  If you’re a parent, you’ve already been teaching your child since birth.  Who was it that taught your child to talk, walk, and use the restroom by themselves?  It was you and your spouse, of course.  So, if you could teach them those skills, why wouldn’t you be qualified to teach them how to read or do math?

Besides being “unqualified,” these negative people will tell you that teaching a child is too difficult.  What I find even more difficult is the thought of having to teach with 18-20 five and six year olds several subjects all in one day.  That’s a difficult task; teaching one child to read is not.  You can do it!

Another argument you might hear if you’re trying to decide if you want to homeschool is that the children need socialization.  Well, I don’t know about you, but I’m not sure I want my children to learn all of the things they learn at school.  Of course, all of the lessons aren’t given by the teachers.  Many are learned as the result of being with other children. 

To this argument, I say that homeschooled children are better socialized than 95% of the children in public schools.  Besides being able to deal with their peers, homeschooled children can carry on intelligent conversations with people of all ages.  Public schools create artificial societies and these societies are not true to life.  Besides public education, there isn’t a time at any other point in your life that you’re going to deal with people all your age.  It just doesn’t happen, and it won’t happen, either.

These are just a few of the comments that you’ll likely hear as you are researching the possibility of homeschooling your child.  All I can say is that it’s okay if you don’t know everything you’re told you need to know.  Take that as an opportunity to learn right along side your child.  Since you want what is best for your child, you will be giving them the opportunity to learn at their own pace and concentrate on the things they are interested in learning. 

Ultimately, it is your choice on how to educate your child.  Although the negative people may be loud( They usually are), be polite and listen to what they have to say.  Listen, and then choose to ignore them.  Give your child the opportunity to love the learning process. Learning is not a destination, it’s a journey. Let them enjoy the trip along the way.

Millions of children in the United States are homeschooled.  In fact, Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) projects that this number will reach over 12 million by 2015.  The United States Constitution does not have specific laws concerning education; each state governs education and has its own laws concerning homeschooling.  So, if you’ve considered homeschooling your children, you will only have to learn the laws for your individual state.

Homeschooling laws vary from state to state.  Each state has a mandate to provide an education for its students; many states delegate that authority to the state’s Board of Education.  The state Board of Education wants to ensure that every child receives an adequate education.  Because of this mandate, one Federal law was passed, Equal Education Opportunities Act of 1974.  This law requires that no state can deny any child an education based on their race, color, sex, or national origin.  In other words, every child within every state is guaranteed an education.

While states cannot deny a child an education, it is ultimately up to the parent to choose where that child will attend school – whether public school, private school, or homeschool.  Public schools, and some private schools, are regulated by the state.  However, since a large percentage of homeschool families do so for religious reasons, there are often few regulations for homeschools.

One state law that appears to be universal is the requirement for children to attend school in some fashion during set compulsory ages.  These ages, however, may be different in each state.  Some states require children to be in school from 5 to 17, others 7 to 16; it just depends on the state’s laws.  To determine what your state’s compulsory ages are you can search the internet, or contact HSLDA.

Home School Legal Defense Association, National Home Education Network, and other websites on the Internet, list the homeschool laws for each state.  If you choose to homeschool, it would be advantageous to learn your state’s laws.  After you have begun to homeschool, if you move to another state, especially if you are a military family, you can go back to these sites to find the laws for the new state.

Military families often move several times throughout the length of a soldier’s career.  Many are choosing to homeschool because it is one way to guarantee continuity in their children’s education.  Rather than transferring a child from one school to another, often internationally, a military family that homeschools can continue their child’s education without fear of negative impact.

Choosing to homeschool is not always an easy decision to make.  However, it is legal in each of the fifty states.  You may have to register your intent to homeschool with your local board of education or you may have to turn in portfolios.  Whatever your state requires, just remember that you are allowed by law to homeschool your child, and that there are places to turn if you have questions.

When you first think about homeschooling, you might wonder if you’ll be the only one in your area.  However, with the ever growing number of homeschooling families, that is not likely.  Finding other homeschoolers, however, may not always be easy.  You just need to know where to look.

One place you will probably find other homeschoolers is at local churches.  Although all homeschoolers aren’t Christians, and it certainly isn’t a requirement to homeschool,you may find that many homeschoolers are.  If you don’t currently attend services, you might consider attending a couple of services to see if there are homeschoolers at the local church.

Besides churches, another place to find a homeschooling family would be the public library.  Many homeschoolers use the library as a source for learning materials.  Go to the library and see if you find children there during normal school hours.  If you find children, most likely they are homeschooled and a parent is sure to be nearby.  You could also ask the librarian if she knows of any homeschoolers.  Most likely she will because they will be some of her best patrons.

If you take your kids to the park during school hours, you’ll probably run into at least one homeschooling family there enjoying the sunshine and fresh air.  Or they might be picking up leaves for a nature book, or finding other items to use in a school project.  In any case, local parks are a great place to find homeschoolers.

You might find a homeschooling family at the grocery store while you’re doing your own shopping.  Many homeschoolers use real life circumstances to teach rather than just depending on books.  So, if you see children standing around the meat freezer with calculators, it’s likely they’re doing comparison shopping for their math lesson.

The Internet is another place to find homeschoolers in your area.  Try doing a search on one of the common search engines for “homeschool groups (your city).”  If that doesn’t work, expand your search to include your county and then your state.  Since there are homeschoolers in every state of the union, surely you’ll find someone close by.  On the outside chance that you don’t find anyone locally, don’t give up.  You can still find support online through any number of Yahoo homeschooling groups.

When searching for homeschooling families locally, don’t be afraid to approach a family that you see out and about during school hours.  Most homeschoolers are used to being asked why their children aren’t in school.  They probably won’t be offended and asking questions is a great way to meet new acquaintances.  Keep an eye out for them; you may find there are more homeschoolers in your area than you first thought.

When many parents consider homeschooling their children they often think the longest about all of the challenges that would face them as homeschooling parents. Often times the hardships, perceived and real, dwarf the benefits. Parents wonder how they will find the time to homeschool. They may doubt their ability to be a good teacher or instructor. Lack of socialization and structure may also be a concern.

What about the benefits though? Are they receiving the same consideration or do they get trumped by all of the potential hardships and problems? What are some of the benefits? Here are few things to consider:
Homeschoolers Can Work at Their Own Pace

The public schooling system is often times criticized for its failure to consider the individual needs and learning styles of each child. In classes with 20 or more students it is impossible for children to get the one on one attention they may need and it is easy for a child to be labeled as “slow” or learning disabled because they appear to be behind their peers academically. The problem with this thinking this that it does not consider the very real possibility that they are simply learning and working at their own normal pace and development. When one standard of excellence is forced upon all children then inevitably some children will fall behind and be made to feel inadequate. Homeschooling can be incredibly liberating for you and for your child when they are allowed to grow and learn on their own terms and at their own unique pace.  The one on one time you spend with your child may be just what he or she needs more than anything else.

Homeschooling Is Not Constrictive

Parents of publicly schooled children are all too familiar with pressure. Their lives are dictated by alarm clocks, bus schedules, lunch money, school activities, teacher’s conferences, homework, and bedtimes just to name a few. It may seem that public school is the easiest option for a busy parent but when all of the demands placed upon parents by the public schooling schedule are considered it starts to look more like a burden than a benefit. Homeschooling can be done on any schedule that works for your family.

Homeschooling Allows Parents to Teach Family Values

Parents of publicly schooled children will often be the first to tell you about how the issues that face young children in schools today are of great concern. Children are exposed to foul language, drugs, smoking, illegal activities, and sex just to name a few. Most parents would probably consider this peer top peer education to be inappropriate and lacking. Parents that homeschool are in the unique positioned to be the able to teach their children about these issues on their own terms and at the appropriate time without too much outside influence counteracting their instruction.

Homeschooling Can Increase Socialization for the Whole Family

The availability of homeschooling playgroups and support groups and other homeschooling activities such as travels to museums and historical areas of interest provide opportunities for socialization for everyone. More and more homeschooling parents are realizing that they don’t need to stay home and assist their child with workbook drills. They can take their children out of the home and benefit from real life experiences, meeting to new people, and seeing new things and places. The whole family benefits when learning is expanded in this way.

When considering homeschooling for your child it is easy to dwell on the hardships that may be presented by this choice but don’t forget that there are a lot of benefits too.
 
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Home Schooling 101 tells the story with examples, evidence, testimonials and hard facts. It deals effectively with the major myths that have grown up around this movement